One Miracle at a Time offers emotional and practical experiences of parents of disabled children come together in this inspiring, comprehensive handbook. Up-to-date information and detailed discussions cover coping with the initial diagnosis and long-term emotional impact, finding the right medical treatment and support services, and getting financial and legal support if necessary.

Ben Mattlin lives a normal, independent life. Why is that interesting? Because Mattlin was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a congenital weakness from which he was expected to die in childhood. Not only did Mattlin live through childhood, he became one of the first students in a wheelchair to attend Harvard, from which he graduated and became a professional writer. His advantage? Mattlin’s life happened to parallel the growth of the disability rights movement, so that in many ways he did not feel that he was disadvantaged at all, merely different. Miracle Boy Grows Up is a witty, unsentimental memoir that you won’t forget, told with engrossing intelligence and a unique perspective on living with a disability in the United States.

We've all had situations in our lives that seem beyond our control or that have no clear remedy. In this concise, inspirational guide, bestselling self-help guru Melody Beattie shows us that we have the ability to make a miracle for almost any circumstance we're facing. She offers a distillation of what she knows about gratitude, surrender, and connecting with our essential power. She challenges us to be more present each day and details a six-week action plan, the Miracle Exercise, to jump-start transformation in our lives.--From publisher description.

When his oldest son was diagnosed with severe autism, pastor Jason Hague found himself trapped, stuck between perpetual sadness and a lower, safer kind of hope. This is the common struggle for those of us walking through the Land of Unanswered Prayer. Life doesn’t look the way we expected, so we seek to protect ourselves from further disappointment. But God has a third path for us, beyond sadness or resignation: the way of aching joy. Christ himself is with us here, beckoning us toward the treasures hidden in the darkness. Aching Joy is an honest psalm of hope for those walking between pain and promise: the aching of a broken world and the beauty of a loving God. In this place, rather than trying to dodge the pain, we choose to feel it all—and to see where Jesus is in the midst of struggle. And because we make that choice, we feel all the good that comes with it, too. This is Jason’s story. This is your story. Come, find your joy within the aching.

What Satan meant for harm, God meant for good. God's grace transformed pain, emotional distress, and suffering into a vibrant, purposeful, and rich life. Refusing to hide behind the dark memories that wanted to hold her captive, Joy Tan-Chi Mendoza shares her story, helping her readers towards strength, encouragement, and the healing of sexual trauma and abuse. (Harold J. Sala, author and friend)

Attachment in Intellectual and Developmental Disability “Skillfully introduced and edited by Helen Fletcher and her colleagues, this long-needed collection of excellent chapters on attachment and disability reveals the vast wellspring of resilience that persons with disability possess – or can be helped to achieve. Readers will discover how best to support a family member, client or friend with a ‘disability’. A definitive resource for multiple disciplines, this book is surely required reading for all those working in the health professions aimed at addressing the needs of those with severe physical, mental or emotional impairments.” Professor Howard Steele, New School for Social Research “This informative, comprehensive text is unique, and is destined to become an invaluable national and international resource on attachment issues in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Given the breadth and depth of this book, practitioners can use it both as a guide in practice and as a resource for research purposes. Both the editors and contributors are to be congratulated for introducing attachment theory to a wider audience, who will all, I am sure, appreciate the centrality and importance of this theoretical framework to their everyday practice.” Professor Bob Gates, University of West London This title in The Wiley Series in Clinical Psychology is the first to explore the role of attachment theory in understanding and helping children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). There is a growing evidence base of interventions for IDD underpinned by attachment theory, including direct intervention and the application of attachment theory to understand the interactions and relationships that occur between individuals with IDD and those who support them. Attachment in Intellectual and Developmental Disability brings together leading clinicians and researchers to present and integrate cutting-edge models and approaches that have previously been accessible only to specialists. They discuss the role of attachment theory in clinical practice when working across the lifespan of people with IDD, the theoretical basis of attachment difficulties, and how these difficulties are presented. They also discuss practical approaches to assessment and intervention, using clear case studies to illustrate the applications of attachment theory to clinical work.

Caring for persons with chronic illnesses or disabilities is a rewarding endeavor, but it often places extreme demands on those providing care. Caregivers need both education and support to understand their caregiving roles and to cope with the difficult situations they face. All too often there is a chasm between professionals who are part of the formal caregiving system and family members, friends, and neighbors who provide daily care. The Caring for You, Caring for Me education and support program is a valuable tool for use in providing caregivers with education and support. The program is designed to bring formal (professional) and informal (lay/family) caregivers together to gain a better understanding of each other's perspectives on what it means to be a caregiver, with the hope that in the process both will learn to do it better. The program is based on caregiving research and the expertise of frontline caregivers. The Leader's Guide contains everything needed to conduct a ten-hour education and support program for caregivers: informational content, layouts for overhead transparencies, and suggested group activities. The companion Participant's Manual supports the presentation, providing a workbook for class activities, a suggested reading list, and a compendium of national sources of help for caregivers. Caring for You, Caring for Me was developed by the Rosalynn Carter Institute under the guidance of the West Central Georgia Caregivers' Network (CARE-NET). The Rosalynn Carter Institute was established in 1987. Its mission is to understand the process of caregiving and discover new ways to benefit both formal and informal caregivers. The Institute supports the premise that caregivers and care receivers can be served most effectively through the collaborative efforts of formal and informal caregivers, academicians, public and private services, and organizations representing caregivers and recipients of care.

This popular clinical reference and text provides a multisystems perspective on childhood disability and its effects on family life. The volume examines how child, family, ecological, and sociocultural variables intertwine to shape the ways families respond to disability, and how professionals can promote coping, adaptation, and empowerment. Accessible and engaging, the book integrates theory and research with vignettes and firsthand reflections from family members.

"Over 10 percent of children in the United States receive special education, yet many families are unaware of the extensive help available through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), most of which is free of charge. Optimizing Special Education explains clearly what parents can expect from special services, mainstreaming, due process procedures, and laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Buckley Amendment. Nancy O. Wilson, a recognized authority on families with special-needs children, shows parents and caregivers how to use education laws to increase related services, such a speech and physical therapy, how to change education to suit a child's unique needs, and strategies to improve a student's vocational options." "Parents new to special education, as well as more experienced individuals, will learn techniques for raising a learning-disabled child, in particular: participating in planning a child's individualized education program (IEP); finding effective services for children who do not qualify for special education; keeping track of test results and school records; strengthening a child's social skills for eventual mainstreaming into society; developing ideas for school conferences; maintaining satisfactory parent-professional partnerships from early intervention to vocational training; increasing benefits for special-needs children in "special" and integrated settings; and recognizing and addressing problems of young adults with learning disabilities." "In addition, this impressive resource includes a sample IEP, a list of helpful books and periodicals, agencies, support groups, and a glossary of educational terms." "Along with offering poignant personal anecdotes about rearing her own special-needs child, the compelling experiences of other parents, and input from professionals in the field, Ms. Wilson explores the sensitive family feelings that arise when interacting with service providers and educators in order to form meaningful partnerships on behalf of the child. She offers a balanced view of professional practices that strengthen parents as their child moves from early services toward independence. Parents can take one step, one day at a time, to ensure their child receives services directed to his abilities and future prospects; in the words of the author, "You are the expert about your child. No one can be the catalyst for educational change as successfully as you."" "This outstanding, comprehensive, fact-filled sourcebook will be invaluable for parents, as well as professionals in the health, mental health, and educational fields."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved